Ann Arbor Charter Amendments Heading To November Ballot

Ann Arbor Voters will get the chance to once again create requirements to serve as an elected or appointed official in the city. A pair of charter amendments will appear on the November ballot.

Credit Andrew Cluley / 89.1 WEMU

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89.1 WEMU's Andrew Cluley reports on the Ann Arbor Charter Amendments voters will consider in November re-establishing requirements to hold elected and appointed office in the city.

A court ruling that put Bob Dascola's name on the ballot for a third ward city council seat also left the city without any requirements to run for office. The city had been requiring candidates to have one year of residency but the proposed rules focus only on status when petitions are turned in to the clerk's office.

Council member Jane Lumm says they also avoided using the word residency, "verifying residency is more difficult, but it's not difficult to verify if you're a registered voter, and your address of course has to equate to, where you're registered to vote."

According to Lumm officials with the attorney general's office recommended splitting up the question on elected and appointed officials. She thinks it's time to look at other areas where the city's charter is outdated and not being followed.